Friday, June 26, 2009

This week has seen me standing behind my counter happily rolling and measuring fabric for my stocktake. No actually that's a great big fib - there's not an ounce of "happiness" involved in stocktake!!! It's just one of those things you have to grit your teeth and do. But... I have several bribes and other enticements lined up to lure my son into helping me this weekend - a lolly jar on the counter will be hard to resist for a start. I, of course, will not touch a single one of them!!! (truly!)

Anyway, I've not shown you Debbie's last Kitten's Tale block - not sure how I missed that - here it is - utterly adorable.

I've not been doing as much stitching this past week but last weekend I did manage to get the linen border on my Days in Provence quilt, and then I made these fabulous little Christmas decorations. They are from one of Marg Low's patterns called Christmas Charm - she uses Barb's gorgeous buttons and I just love them. Very quick and easy to make too, so even though that was a new project I started, I also finished it!

I also put together block two of the Gingham Girls - here's the little Japanese girl on the tea caddy - very sweet.

And these are a couple of bits I've done from the next block.

Now I must get back to rolling fabric! See you next week when it is all finished.

Friday, June 12, 2009

We've all got those ''unfinished projects'' piles haven't we, but are there others out there like me that for every one of those projects that we finish, we start three new ones! So the ''unfinished projects'' pile just keeps getting higher and higher. I have a complete lack of discipline and/or willpower when it comes to starting new things. But I have nearly finished this project..... Days in Provence..

This is a gorgeous pattern designed by Jackie Nicholls of House on the Hill Designs - I'm actually not prepared to admit to how long the fabrics have been sitting in a nicely folded pile, waiting to be cut and pieced, but last weekend I did it!! I finished stitching the lovely little lavender blocks and the words - and then put it all together (except for the linen border which will go on this weekend). Then just some simple hand quilting and that's one to be crossed off the ''list''.

I also found these little pincushions that I had made from leftovers of a quilt I stitched earlier in the year. They were in a much neglected state - not even turned through - so out with the stuffing, buttons and beads and another thing off the ''list''.

This week I have been playing with a couple of new designs. I have been wanting to make a little Christmas bag using some of Barb's fabulous buttons - these angel buttons are so sweet. I think I will make another one of these bags with some of her Santa buttons as well.

And the other idea that I have been working on is vintagey Christmas decorations. I made a start on these last weekend, and finished the star, and last night I started on the heart. I wanted to combine a little bit of simple beading and embroidery and I quite like the end result! There are two more, yet, to go - a rainy weekend does wonders for the stitching.

I hope you manage to cross one thing off your ''list'' this week (and start three more!).

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

It was kind of good having a long weekend that was a little too chilly to venture out as it meant I got to spend a lot of time in the sewing room! I played quite happily with my fabrics - sorting some for the Gingham Girls. I had some lovely bits in my stash that I wanted to use, along with some from the shop. I'm pretty pleased with the end result and like the way it is looking. Block one is done.

I also stitched this block - can't remember which block it comes from, but I love the way the girls are framed within the heart.

Debbie brought her gorgeous pink blocks to stitching group last week ...

... love the stitchery in this one.

I'm off home soon - to light the fire, trace out another stitchery for the ''girls'' and then settle in for the night. I'm happy with that!